Closing Doors
by Catori Abbott
Summary: A sad rendition of what the 7 would do when closing the doors of Death. Including Nico! One-shot.


"We have to close the doors. We have to stop the dead from coming alive all the time!" Annabeth said, wringing her Yankee's cap in her hands.  
"I'll do it. I have nothing to lose!" Leo said, shifting his tool belt and not catching anyone's gaze.  
"Don't you dare. I have to be the one to do it, I'm not supposed to be alive as it is!" Hazel said, hands in tight fists.  
They all stood around, the doors behind them. "We have to find out a way to keep everyone here... Maybe a god or goddess can help us!" Jason said, pacing around the group. "They won't help. They're weak as it is. All of them are keeping Gaea from destroying the world as we know it. We're the only people who can stop this. We can't stand around fighting about it! I'll do it!" Annabeth insisted. "No, I need to. My life depends on a stick. I'm going to die anyway." Frank said, looking at his feet with sad eyes.  
"No one needs to die." Piper spoke up, putting her charmspeak into her words. "We'll figure out a way to close them without losing anyone. Maybe we can just kick it closed!" Leo shook his head. "Pipes, we've asked Death himself. There has to be someone closing them from the inside. There's no other way."  
She didn't complain about the nickname, then. "Rock, paper scissors?" Jason supplied meekly. "At least it'll be fair and honest..." Hazel said. Nico stepped in, having been quiet the whole time.  
The group played three times.  
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot."  
Annabeth lost the first round.  
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot."  
Leo lost the second.  
"Rock, Paper, scissors, shoot."  
Annabeth lost the game.  
Everyone stared at her. Her grey eyes were teary but she refused to let the tears flow from her eyes. "No, not you. You survived Tartarus. We're not putting you through whatever's on the other door." Jason said. Percy remained quiet. He'd been quiet since Riptide broke in two, right before escaping Hell.  
"No, I lost. Fair and square. I... I wasn't deducing the game like I should have been I... It was honest." She hugged her hat to her chest. Her face was smeared with dirt and blood from a gash a monster dug into her cheek. "No, no. Percy and Annabeth deserve a break I refuse to let them go through that." Piper said, tugging on her braid that was coming undone.  
"I told you, I have to do it. I'm not supposed to be alive anyway!" Hazel said, voice raised. "I'm not letting you go through that, Hazel." Frank said, taking her small hand in his tightly. "I won't let you go through that, either." She said, locking his gaze.  
"I'll do it. I have to. It's my job." Jason said, standing tall and trying to look important. He was covered in filth as well. Everyone was. The journey was hard and without any luxuries. Frank still sustained a large injury on his calf, and Piper had a thick cut on her forehead. Ambrosia had healed the worse cases, but it was all gone now.  
"I'm not going to lose you, Jason." Piper snapped at him. Her gaze was steely for a few seconds before tears spilled out of her eyes and she hugged him tightly. "Just me, then?" Leo asked quietly. His normally curly hair was flat to his head, and his natural smile had been gone for weeks now. "No, Leo. You're not a seventh wheel." Hazel told him, reaching her hand out for him. Leo took her hand and she pulled him over to her. "You're important, okay?" He nodded weakly. He didn't believe her words as much as he wanted to.  
There was the sound of metal clattering to the ground. Everyone looked to the doors and saw Percy standing behind them. "The world's dying out there because we can't let anyone close a door. I can't let that happen and I can't let any of you sacrifice yourselves." Riptide's two halves laid on the ground. He had carried it all the way here.  
"Sorry, Wise Girl. Sorry everyone. There really isn't any other way."  
"Percy, no!" Annabeth yelled and ran to him. He stood between the doors, hands on the handles on either side. She grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulled feebly. Her strength had all but gone. "You can't do this." She was crying freely now. "That's my fatal flaw, isn't it? Loyalty." She put her head against his chest and cried silently. "I can't lose you." She whimpered.  
"No one wants to lose anyone, Annabeth. But we can't let innocent people die because of indecision." He kissed the top of her head. "Percy you don't have to do this." Jason said, wrapping an arm around Piper who couldn't speak through her tears. There was a loud crash outside. "Tell Tyson I'm sorry that I didn't get to say goodbye. See if he can repair Riptide for me. Tell Chiron... He was the best teacher I've ever had."  
Leo pulled Annabeth away. She tried to grasp at Percy. "Love you..." He stepped back and pulled the doors with him.  
The doors shut loudly and Annabeth cried harder, sobbing loudly into her hands. She fell to her knees on the ground and Piper hugged her shoulders tightly. "Seaweed Brain..." She whimpered through tears.


End file.
